Apparatus for hand weaving



Dec, 13, 1938 H. s. CLARK ET AL. 2,139,879

'APPARATUS FOR HAND WEAVING Filed Nov. so 1935 'ZIQH'I m m I Fi 5. (19 a6 '4 J jll've'rn'ovs I; j E r Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR HAND WEAVING Herbert Spencer Clark and Rosa M. Hewetson Clark, Scarborough Township, Ontario, Ganada Application November 30, 1935, ,Serial No. 52.332

5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for weaving by hand, and the chief object of the invention is to devise a comparatively light and inexpensive, yet practical, hand loom capable of 5 having the warp threads rapidly positioned and. ready for shedding and by means of which the various steps of the weaving operation may be accomplished in proper sequence in the most rapid manner and with the least diificulty to the operator, whereby the loom may be operated efficiently and quickly, even by beginners and thus enable the many heretofore unfamiliar with the art of weaving to become familiar therewith and enjoy the practice of it.

Specific objects are to devise improved simplified and faster means for warping; to devise improved means for adjusting the tension of the warp threads and for facilitating the movement of the Warp to a new weaving position; to devise improved means for supporting the comb during warping and converting it to a beater; and'to devise a loom the parts of which may be detachably connected to permit, if desired, the shipping in knocked-down condition and its ready set-up by the user.

We attain our objects by means of the con.- structions hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same partly broken away;

Fig. 3 an end elevation, also partly broken away;

Fig. 4 a detail on a larger scale showing the shed-forming means; 7

Fig. 5 a plan view of an improved bobbin;

Fig. 6 side view of the same.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The apparatus comprises a suitable frame having side members I, a stationary end member or back beam 2, and an adjustable end member or breast beam 3. These parts are detachably connected together to permit shipment of the aptparatus in knockdown condition. We show the end members provided with threaded pins passing through holes in the side members and having thumb nuts screwed thereon. The warp threads 4 are wound around these end members as indicated in Fig. 2, and the tension on these warp threads is regulated by the breast beam 3. breast beam 3 is formed as a roller ecc'entrically journalled in the frame and is provided at one .end with a lever 5 by means of which it may be swung as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2:. Secured to the frame adjacent the lever is a ratchet .5 with which a pawl I pivoted on the handle 5 is adapted to engage. The tension of 5 th Warn hr ad mamtains the pawl in a m nt. with h ratchett w l be a a ent b adjusting t breast eam 3 the't nsio on the t re ds ay be increased or decreased ithin the limits of movement oisaid breast beam.

. For the urpose o p ov th ssary shed or spacing to Permit the positioning of the cross or weft threads we provide a rotatable .circurnierejntially slotted shedder or heddle constructed as follows: A shaft 8 is journalled in notches formed inthe side members I, and held in place by pivg 'ed clips 22. The shaft is provided at. on end wi an p ra handl 9- Mounted on and rotatable with this shaft is a plur litygfspaced-apartseparators I0. As will I e-seen rom the d awi these separators are n the o m'pi di s w ich may be o ny u tabl shape, although we show them as substantially elli ti al inside elevat o Th ay be f rmed o f ar board, fibr meta o other a al n the spaces or slots between each adjacent sepa a or n ar t bu pac d fr m he iph thereef is positioned a thread support or lifter. These thread supports may be arranged in any 30 number'oi series, depending on the nature of the material beingwoven, but in the drawing- .the supports are arranged in two series: I I and I2. R er ne to F g- 4 o th awi i will be seen'that the supports in the two series are alter- 35 nately arranged, the supports I I being positioned atoneside of the shaft 8 and the other series at the o os t side of h sh The supp in the. various series may also be arranged in any other relationship to one another as desired to. produce the desired work. These supports or litters are shown in the drawing as narrow pieces of wood or fibre glued between the separators. They may, however, be formed, for example, as metal diSkSJ IiVetS,-o,rh1 other convenient manner. ,f

A comb or beater I3 is adapted to co-operate with the shedder and is formed with a back having teeth extending therefrom and provided with a. removable head I 4. The back of the 50 comb is preferably provided with a stiffener 23 I to prevent flexing of the comb in use. The back 'of the comb is arranged to ride on the upper edges of the side members I, but the latter are tut away at their upper sides so that-the top of other times, notches H are formed in the side.

members adjacent the shedder in which the back of the comb may be positioned in a substantially upright rigid position.

A guide I8 is also positioned at the under side of the frame adjacent the shed former to hold the warp threads and completed work beneath the frame out of engagement with the shed former.

While we donot desire to be restrictedto the use of any particular bobbin, in Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a preferred bobbin construction. It comprises a flat body I9 having a head 20 at each end in which is formed a notch 2| to receive the thread. These heads, however, are of. special shape. Their sides curve inwardly at each side toward the mouth of the notch and they are of considerable thickness towards the rear end of the notch, gradually decreasing in thickness towards the mouth of the notch and towards the body. This particular shaping of the heads reduces very materially the danger of accidentally engaging the head with the warp threads when passing the bobbin through the shed.

For supporting the frame we provide pairs of headed pins and 26 on the side members I, adapted to be engaged with the uprights 21 of a suitable stand. These uprights are. formed with short undercut grooves 28 in their upper ends to receive the pins 25 or 26. To support the frame when weaving, the pins 25'are engaged in the grooves and to support the loom for rotation during warping the pins 26 are engaged in the grooves 28.

The apparatus is used as follows: Theframe is mounted on the stand with the pins 26 in the grooves 28. The comb I3 is mounted in the notches I5 with its head I4 removed. The end of the warp thread is secured'to the frame atone end thereof in any suitable manner, and is passed between two teeth of the comb I3. The frame is then rotated, the warp thread being passed by the operator between separators of the shedder corresponding to the teeth of the comb around the back beam, beneath the frame, around the breast beam, between the next two teeth of the comb, between the next two separators of the shedder and so on until the'complete warp is formed. It will, of course, be understood that any desired width of warp may be used and the winding of the warp need not necessarily commence at one side of the frame. When the warp is entirely wound the free end of the warp thread is fastened to the frame in any desired manner. By the above described process a continuous warp is formed. It will be apparent, of course, that the warp threads may be arranged in suitable color groups as desired.

The frame is then preferably shifted from its rotatable to its operating position with the pins 25 in the grooves 28. The operator preferably is seated with the breast beam supported on his lap. The shedder is then rotated to raise one group of warp threads to create the fshed and the comb is then removed from the notch I5 to a position close to the shed former, if desired, into the notches II. The bobbin I6 which carries the weft or cross thread material, is then passed through the shed and the comb is actuated to move said weft thread towards the breast beam 3. The shed former is then operated to drop the first series of warp threads and lift another series. The comb is then moved towards the shed former and the bobbin again passed through the shed to position another weft thread. This series of operations is continued until the desired length of fabric is completed. It will be apparent, of course, that several bobbins may be employed with different colored threads, so as to work suitable designs into the fabric.

When the woven fabric is of such a length as to interfere with the proper forming of the shed, the breast beam 3 is swung to relieve the tension on the warp threads and the Woven fabric may be pulled around to the under sideof the frame to permit the proper formation of the shed. The breast beam 3 will then be swung in the opposite direction to again tension the warp threads. Weaving is then resumed as above described.

From the above description it will be seen that we have devised a simple and eflicient hand loom which will satisfactorily attain the objects of; our

invention as set out in the preamble of this end members about which latter warp threads M may be wound to form a continuous warp; means for actuating said warp threads in groups to form a shed, one of said end members being eccentrically journalled in the side members;

means for manually swinging said eccentrically journalled end member to Vary the tension upon the warp threads; and means forjholding said eccentrically journalled end member in any of a plurality of positions to maintain the desired tension. v 1

2. In apparatus for hand weaving, the combination of a frame comprising side members and end members about which latter warp threads may be wound to form a continuous warp; means for actuating said warp threads in groups to form a shed, one of said end members being eccentrically journalled in the side members; a handle for swinging said eccentrically journalled end member; and a pawl and ratchet means for holding said eccentrically journalled end member in M position as adjusted.

3. In apparatus forv hand weaving, the combination of a frame comprising side members and end members about which latter warp threads may be wound, said frame being adapted to be rotated for warping; means for actuating said warp threads in groups to form a shed; a comb slidable on said members between the shed forming means and one of the end members; said side members each having an open ended notch formed on the upper side thereof adjacent the end member adapted to receive the lower edge of the comb and frictionally retain therein the comb in a substantially rigid upright position during warping.

4. In apparatus for hand weaving, the combination of a frame comprising side members and end members about which the latter warp threads may be wound, said frame being adapted to be rotated for warping; means for actuating said warp threads in groups to form a shed; a comb slidable on said members between the shed forming means and one of the end members, said side members each having an open ended notch formed on the upper side thereof adjacent the end member adapted to receive the lower edge of the comb and frictionally retain therein the comb in a substantially rigid upright position during warping and a second similar notch adjacent the shed forming means to support the comb in a substantially rigid upright position during weaving.

5. In apparatus for hand weaving, the combination of a frame comprising side members and end members about which latter warp threads may be wound; means for actuating said warp threads in groups to form a shed; a comb slidable on said side members between the shed forming means and one of the end members; open-ended notches formed on the upper sides of the side members for removably supporting the comb in a substantially rigid upright position during warping; and a stand on which the warp frame is adapted to be rotatably mounted, whereby when the comb is mounted on the frame a continuous warp thread may be wound around end members and through the spaces between the teeth of the comb by rotating the frame.

HERBERT SPENCER CLARK. ROSA M. HEWETSON CLARK. 

